NOW You Can Call Him Senator Al

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The longest election campaign in Minnesota history is finally over.

Democrat Al Franken has been awarded the U.S. Senate seat by the Minnesota Supreme Court, which ruled 5-0 that his Republican challenger Norm Coleman did not have enough evidence to overturn a 312-vote deficit after the recount. Governor Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie have already signed the necessary papers to make the election official.

It took eight months and two court challenges to convince former Senator Coleman that enough was enough, and concede to Franken. The whole ordeal taxed the patience of Minnesotans, and made the state a political laughingstock (and we haven't even mentioned GOP congresswoman Michele Bachmann).

Since Congress is on its Fourth of July break, Franken won't actually be sworn into the Senate until sometime next week. When that does happen, Franken has said he'll hit the ground running.

The Democrats will now have a veto-proof majority of 60 votes in the Senate. But since certain members have been known to go their own way on certain issues, that may not be a given. All that talk about change in Washington has been drowned out by watered-down bills on climate change and health care, and by Republican hectoring on the sidelines.

Senator-elect Franken needs to understand that, after a rough campaign against Coleman, half of Minnesotans did not vote for him. He has to prove to those people that he is their Senator, too. Otherwise, it could be a long six years.

As for Coleman, he has yet to make any future plans. There is the possibility that he might run for Governor of Minnesota in 2010. After having lost to a pro wrestler and a satirist in past elections, why would he want to do this again?

If this protracted election has taught us something, it's that we need new laws to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

Franken used to make a living mocking politicians on Saturday Night Live and on the radio. Now that he's joining one of the world's most exclusive clubs, it's his turn to get mocked.